Routine Love Story
by ilovemesomecupcakes
Summary: She let out a little laugh, a scornful laugh. "Because I love you, okay? I can't stop myself from falling because it's inevitable, Zach! There's no hope for anyone in this world because you're too mesmerizing and I can't help it and I know it's stupid but it's true." Falling. Zachary Goode was hanging by a string, just falling into an endless dream that was Cammie Morgan.
1. Trailer

**Routine Love Story: Trailer **

_"Hold my hand, and I'll hold yours." _

_A girl who's never been anything but hidden…_

"It was a routine brush pass, and I missed it."

Bex threw her tie on top of her bed sheets, sighing deeply. "Cam, it was bound to happen sometime."

Cammie flew face-down onto her bed, her face planted into her pillow. "God, that was the worst CoveOps exercise ever. I don't think Joe is ever going to let me live that one down."

Macey walked out of her closet, tucking in a clean white blouse. "Cam, you don't have to be perfect, you know."

"I'm a spy. Spies don't make mistakes! It's simply not done!"

Macey turned to Bex, who was folding her clothes. "What, exactly, happened today?"

Bex rolled her eyes. "Solomon took us to the town square-"

"The town square?" Macey asked incredulously. "The dead-drop one? The Josh one?"

Bex nodded, grinning maniacally. "Bingo."

Cammie groaned at her roommates' dramatics. "For the last time, Mace, I'm over him!"

They ignored her, continuing with their conversation. "Well, Cam was supposed to brush pass a dime to Anna-" Bex said, before Cammie oh-so-politely interrupted her. "Don't listen to her! She's a crazed British liar!" Cammie yelled from her 'dead tree' position on her bed. Macey waved her hand in a rolling motion, gesturing for Bex to continue.

"Well, Cams didn't make the pass, and the dime dropped, and Solomon totally flipped out," Bex said, stifling a laugh. "That man laughed so hard, he sounded like a bloody seal on crack."

Macey cocked an eyebrow, turning towards Cammie's motionless figure. "It was that bad?"

"I don't want to talk about it, guys."

Bex shot up from her pile of messily folded clothes. "I forgot to tell you why Cammie dropped the dime," she said mischievously.

"NO! I swear to God, Rebecca, if you tell her your theory, extremely incorrect if I may add,-"

Bex ignored her friend. "So Cam was walked down the pathway, and this boy-"

Macey gasped dramatically. "A boy? Did I just hear correctly?" She turned towards Cammie who was still face down on her bed. "Cameron Ann Morgan, were you distracted by a guy?" Macey clapped her hands once, a wide smile plastered to her face. "Oh, this will be fun."

Cammie groaned again, flipping over on the duvet. "There is no way that this is going to be 'fun', and you know it Mace."

"You're such a worry-wart, Cam. We're just trying to fix you with your soul mate." Cammie's voice was muffled among the pillows.

"So Cam, tell me- was he cute?"

_A guy who's never been anything but goode…_

"So what did Jessica do this time?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you look like you're about to punch a wall?"

Zach glared at Grant. "Don't tempt me."

Grant rolled his eyes. "Come on, man. You can't expect her to 'fall for your God-given' charms instantaneously."

"It's not Jessica."

Grant's eyes widened. "You've moved on from Jessica?" he said incredulously. A long whistle followed shortly after. "Damn, man. I thought you'd be hooked on her forever." He paused, glancing at his friend. "You know- funny story. I saw her on the streets a couple days ago, kissing a girl- yes, a girl- and it completely blew my mind, man, but I thought you'd want to know-"

"I've known for weeks, Grant."

He gave Zach an odd look. "So you lied to me?" Grant looked hurt for a second, before grinning mischievously. "So there is another girl. Am I right or am I right? Is this one straight, or is this whole pattern going to keep going? 'Cause I don't think I can take much more-"

"Grant, would you shut up? It's the girl-"

"Oh shit, the Morgan girl?"

Zach rolled his eyes. "No, Lindsey Lohan."

"Damn- I should really hide my magazines better."

"I know I'm supposed to stay away..."

Grant's eyes widened until they were the size of golf balls. "Dude, you are in for some deep shit."

Zach smirked the signature smirk. "I'll get through it. I'm just that goode."

_And when you mix that together…_

"Dear God, what was that sound?"

"It was my laugh. Don't judge."

She scowled. "I don't understand why I put up with you. You're bloody infuriating."

She bumped her friend's shoulder lightly. "Come on, you know you love it, Bex."

"I suppose I do."

The stone pavement of the street was smooth and unblemished. She marveled at the lines of boutiques and bakeries, admiring the simplicity of the architecture. Her eyes wandered to the opposite side of the road, adjacent to her and Bex.

A boy caught her eye.

And let me tell you this- When a boy catches Cammie Morgan's eyes, we're in for a roller coaster of a story. Buckle your seat belts, kids, because it's about to get bumpy.

::

**A/N: This is just a trailer for my new story. Let me know if I should continue. **

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	2. Chapter 1: Of Exasperated Lovers

**Chapter 1**

"You're a shitty friend."

"Well, you're shit at lying."

Zach rolled over in his bed. "The moment you find out I don't actually like Jessica- you sleep with her," he said. "Who _does _that?"

Grant grinned. "Come on, dude. She was hot, I was willing, and things just followed their own path," he explained, a lazy smile painted on his face. "What else was I going to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe try to _keep your pants on_?"

"Zachary," Grant drawled, earning a glare from his friend, "why don't you tell that to Jessica?"

Zach tossed a pillow at his roommate. "Goddamn, Grant- hasn't Solomon caught you enough times? You should've learned your lesson by now."

"I don't follow the rules. You should've learned _that _by now."

Zach rolled his eyes. "How many girls has it been?"

Grant chuckled. "Don't know. I've lost count," he said, head resting on his pillow. "I'd say maybe twenty?"

"God, that is disgusting," a voice said from the door. Both boys turned towards the voice at the door. Once they saw who it was, Zach smirked at Grant. Grant, on the other hand, paled significantly.

"Mr. Solomon," Zach said smugly, "how nice of you to join us."

::

The cobblestone was a pale gray, and some stones were loose beneath Cammie's feet as she walked with Bex.

"Duchess, I'm coming around the corner."

"Copy, Chica. I'm with Chameleon on the west side of the park."

Eva passed by seconds later, her hand barely brushing against Bex's. Cammie glanced at the other girl, eyebrows raised. Bex smiled back.

_We're good_, she mouthed.

Bex's thumb brushed ever-so-slightly against her own, the quarter slipping effortlessly into her hand. The two girls parted ways: Bex heading towards the van, and Cammie heading towards the town square, where Anna was seated on the third bench from the tree.

Cammie walked briskly, her long legs moving at an even pace. Her eyes were moving aimlessly, carelessly window shopping.

And then she bumped into him.

She'd never met him before, but there was a familiar aura about him, an odd sense of déjà vu. He smelled of mint and cinnamon, two of Cammie's favorite spices. It wasn't until then that she realized that he was holding her- steadying her.

"Hey, you okay?" His voice was smooth, like a river of sparkling water, cool and refreshing.

She smiled sheepishly, nodding. "Yeah, I'm good."

::

"Well, I'd be lying if I said he wasn't cute."

Macey jumped up from her seat, squealing. "I knew it! He was cute!" She turned excitedly to Bex, who was daintily (oddly enough) painting her nails. "I _told _you he was cute! I _told _you!"

Bex rolled her eyes. "_I _told you that, Mace."

Macey ignored the British girl, propping her elbows on the edge of Cammie's desk, her chin resting on her hands. "So, Cam- do tell about the hot shot you met on the streets today."

"Mace, that's my death sentence and you know it."

"Come on, do you even know his name?" Macey asked. Studying Cammie's sheepish face, she drew back in horror. "You don't know his _name_? Dear God, Cammie! How do you expect to see him again?"

"That's the point, Mace. I don't _want _–nor need- to see him again."

Bex blew loudly on her tinted teal nails. "Oh, that's a lie and you bloody know it Cam."

"It's not like it would've worked out."

"Hey, he could be a spy. You don't know that," Macey said optimistically. "What did he look like?"

"God, Mace. I only saw him for about ten seconds before Solomon started laughing. How was I supposed to figure out his exact description and facial detail?"

"If I do remember correctly, and I usually do, you are a _spy_."

"I just remember thick brown hair and green eyes."

Macey nodded in approval. "Green eyes- good catch Cam."

::

"You actually _saw _her?"

"Stop looking at me like I committed a crime. It's not like a pushed into a pond or something, Grant."

Grant propped his chin on his interlocked fingers. "Tell me everything."

Zach shook his head. "No, we are _not _doing this girl-style again."

"You have to admit- it helps a lot."

"Nick's ideas never work. They're just utterly stupid and all-consuming," Zach retorted. "Come on, it's like sucking all your secrets out of you using guilt."

"It's not our fault we have so much blackmail material against you."

"I ought to lock you three in a room for all of eternity."

Grant scrunched his eyebrows together for a moment, then broke out grinning. "Come on, you know Jonas would find a way out."

"You're right. Jonas isn't an asshole. I should keep him with me so we can send you and Nick to Mars via atomic bomb."

"That's just cold, man. I don't know how you're going to get your special girl, but if you're going to use that tone on her, she's going to smack you. _Hard._"

::

"God, where is Liz?"

"Why do you need Liz?" Cammie asked.

Macey smiled. "You search up your new boyfriend, Cams."

Cammie's eyes widened. "You're actually going through with this ridiculous plan of yours?"

"Hey, this is a brilliant plan. Don't you dare insult us like that," Bex protested from her desk.

"You don't even know his name! There are millions of guys in America with brown hair and green eyes! You're never going to find him!"

Macey turned to Bex, shaking her head mockingly. "I'm not sure I like her tone. Do you approve, Bex?"

"No, I most certainly do not," Bex replied, grinning maniacally. "We should do something about it."

Cammie threw herself into her bed, once again. "Why do I even bother with you guys?"

::

She ended up sneaking off campus, maneuvering her way through the tight passageway. Her left arm jutted out, pushing against the cement wall, which quickly slid away, revealing fresh air and cut grass. She breathed it all in- the freedom, the feeling of being alive.

She was alive. She loved being outside. It suited her well- the flowers, the trees, the bees, the air. Jumping off the somewhat elevated ledge, she landed nimbly on the grass below.

"That's odd. You don't see teenage girl jumping out of highly secured walls every day, but- hey, what do you know? There's always something new to learn."

She whirled quickly around, swinging her arm around to knock the stranger out old. A strong hand stopped her, countering her move.

"That's not a good idea. I advise you to act against it."

She narrowed her eyes, turning to face the masculine voice.

_It's him._

He grinned widely at her. "Well, we meet again. It's lovely to see you." He stuck out his hand, and she took it warily.

"I'm Zach Goode."

::

**A/N: Oh my god. Oh my God. Oh my god.**

**Words cannot describe how sorry I am. This whole month has been so utterly and completely hectic, with about five million projects going on for school, and- oh dear ****_lord_****, I am so sorry. After this Sunday, I think I'll be okay. God, I want this week to be done.**

**This was such a horrible chapter, but I felt so horrible, I had to post something. I promise the next chapter will be better. **

**I need a beta. It's inevitable.**

**Summer cannot come any quicker. **

**SIXTEEN REVIEWS? OH MY GOODNESS YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**You have no idea how much that means to me.**

**Question of the Chapter: Siblings, anyone? How many? Are they annoying?**

**God, I have one. She's unbelievably annoying, it's hysterical.**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS BUNCHES. KEEP ON REVIEWING! **

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	3. Stalkers?

**A/N: I apologize in advance for any typos. I'm not a very good editor. (Another reason why I need a beta.)**

**Chapter 3**

Cammie Morgan didn't have any experience with boys. Well, none besides Josh, but that didn't _really _count for anything. That whole fiasco would've never worked out anyways. (Ex-boyfriends that run through walls with bulldozers are a must not in a healthy relationship. Even if they're cute.)

That being said, she stood in front of the 6'2" boy with a mop (a well-styled mop, she had to admit) of brown hair and sparkling green eyes. _Zach Goode._

She studied him for a while. His black t-shirt fit him well, his defined shoulder blades-

_Yeah, Cam. When you see a perfectly good-looking boy, that's what you do. Study his damned shoulder blades._

His biceps didn't bulge out of his sleeves, but it was quite obvious that they were there.

"Are you going to tell me why you jumped out of a wall, or are you going to continue staring at me all day?"

_Good God, he's a cocky son of a bitch._

"No. But I really would appreciate it if you left me alone."

He grinned at her. "Come on. You can tell me."

"I didn't jump out of a wall."

Zach Goode raised an eyebrow. "Then please explain what I just saw."

"I was getting some fresh air. Can't a girl get some fresh air without being harassed?" Cammie breathed out. "What is _with _this world?"

_God, I sound annoying. He should just start running now._

"Jumping out of a wall does not exactly fall under the 'getting fresh air' category. Getting fresh air is like, 'Wow, that guy is gorgeous and he's talking to that slut', if we're talking about over reactive girls, of course-"

"You're an idiot," Cammie said.

"-and you're getting a bit upset, then you need to get air. Or, if your roommate just cut the cheese-"

"Cut the cheese?" Cammie inquired incredulously. **(A/N: Try saying ****_that_**** ten times fast.)**

"-and it suddenly smells like day old potato salad that's been left in a dumpster in there, then you need to get air. _Jumping out a wall _does not cut it."

"Well, first off," Cammie said, attempting to get rid of this insane cocky (but also insanely handsome) boy, "you talk a lot. Second, I _actually needed some air_. Thirdly, jumping out of walls is perfectly normal for a girl. People do it all the time."

Zach snorted. "In movies- and you, Miss-"

He stopped short, realizing he didn't know her name.

"Alex," she blurted out. "Alex. My name's Alex."

"Alright, Miss Alex," he said, looking at her lazily. A smirk graced his face, as if he knew something she didn't. "Hate to break it to you, but you are most definitely not in a movie."

"I could be."

"But you aren't."

"See- you don't know that, so you can't just assume something-"

Zach put a hand to his head, feigning a dramatic faint. "Good grief, there's just no stopping you is there?"

She grinned at him. "No there isn't," Cammie said, walking towards town. "But I guess you'll never find out, so why ask?"

Zach pulled her back towards him, so that his cool breath hit her cheeks. "Come on, _Gallagher Girl_," he said, smirking at the look of surprise that painted her face, "I don't need to ask. I _know_."

And as he pulled away, slowly, she could still smell the fresh mint of his breath as he disappeared into the collection of buildings.

::

"This is _exactly _why I don't talk to you guys. You're holding me hostage. You're going to kill me- this is… it's vile! It's totally uncalled for!" Cammie huffed. Her three friends had tied her to a chair, and Macey was smiling wickedly down at her, wielding a mascara wand.

"Cameron Ann Morgan, that is no way to speak to your best friends!" Bex scolded.

"Stop exaggerating, Cams. We just want to ask you some questions," Macey drawled.

"This is an _interrogation. _You have weapons of _mass destructions_," Cammie said stonily, though fear clearly laced her words.

"Okay, now I know you're exaggerating."

"Untie the rope now, or I swear, I'll toss Bex's nun-chucks off the-"Cammie stopped cold as she felt the mascara wand brush against her eyelid.

"Macey, if that's what I _think _it is, you will not live another day on this Earth," she whispered menacingly. Just to prove a point (or whatever was going on in Macey McHenry's wicked mind), the wand made another dangerous journey towards Cammie's eyelashes. The 'hostage' lurched back in fear.

"Come on, Camster. It's not that bad," Bex soothed.

"I think she's having a heart attack, guys. It's working- for the time being," Liz piped, which caused Cammie to yell, "You put a heart monitor on me?" she said incredulously. "When you guys have interrogations, you go full blast, don't ya?"

Macey ignored her comment. "Okay, Cams. Just sit still and nothing bad will happen, okay?"

Cammie snorted. "Well, I_ totally_ believe that."

"Question 1: On a scale of one to ten, how cute was-," Macey paused. "What was his name again?"

"Zach Goode," Liz replied.

"How cute was Zach Goode?"

"Who the hell is that?" Cammie asked, sarcasm obvious in her tone.

The three girls groaned. It was going to be a long afternoon.

::

She found him again, a couple days later, leaning against the stone walls next to the passageway. She jumped off the ledge, brushing herself off before turning to face him.

"Thought I might find you here, Gallagher Girl," he said, smirking (not surprisingly).

"Really, Zach. Don't you have better things to do?"

"None better than you," he drawled, smiling at her, though he seemed sincere.

Cammie felt her face flush, cheeks burning up. She coughed nervously, looking up at him. (It was at this moment that she began to notice how tall he was. How ridiculously tall he was.)

"I would ask you what you've been doing these past few days," Zach began, "but I already know the little details of your _horrendous_ torture-via-mascara situation. Although, I must say- I was quite pleased when you gave me a- quite loud, by the way- 15 on the scale of one to-"

Cammie shoved him, glowering. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that stalking is just a _bit _alarming?"

"Never crossed my mind. Besides," he said, pushing himself off the wall (at which point Cammie watched his biceps slightly tense- and even if she hated his cockiness, there was no denying that his arms were-)

"I know you wouldn't mind it if I did it again," he said, leaning close to her ear.

She pushed him back. "I beg to differ."

"Come on, Gallagher Girl, you have to admit, I'm a hell of a lot better than Jimmy."

"Who the hell is-"Cammie began, slightly confused. "You mean _Josh_?"

Zach waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, whatever his name was." She looked at him suspiciously- his name mix-up obviously wasn't an accident -believe me, Zach Goode didn't do accidents. Was he _jealous_?

"Anyways-"He started, but unfortunately, his sentence was never finished, because at that exact moment, the passageway opened again, and Rebecca Baxter jumped out onto the grass.

"Well, isn't this a bloody coincidence?"

::

"_This _is him?" Bex asked incredulously. "Cameron Ann Morgan, I would've expected much more from you, considering the amount of research Liz conducted."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zach said, raising an eyebrow.

Bex ignored him, and Cammie was still trying to figure out how Bex found _her _passageway. As Cammie was busy contemplating her friend's abrupt appearance, that said friend dragged Cammie away from Zach, until they were out of earshot.

"Cameron Ann Morgan, you _promised _that you wouldn't meet boys secretly anymore!"

"I didn't _want _to meet him," though- Cammie did think of it as a nice surprise, "he just showed up here."

"Oh, so he's a stalker?"

"Admittedly so," Cammie said, faking a sigh. "It's a shame, really. He is pretty cute."

Zach's smirk reappeared on his face, signifying that he'd heard Cammie's little remark. "I heard that, Gallagher Girl," he called out.

Bex widened her eyes. "_Gallagher Girl?_ Bloody hell, Cam- he's given you a nickname?"

"Not necessarily. It's more of a… description? I mean, I _do _go to Gallagher, and I _am _a girl," Cammie explained. Her answer didn't please Bex, because she was still looking at Cammie, glaring, her hands on her hips.

"So does that mean I'm a _'Gallagher Girl'_, too?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, technically, you are," Zach said, walking up behind the two girls. "But this one here," he put his hands on Cammie's shoulders (she swears she felt nothing, but Zach spoke otherwise- obviously, Cammie was distracted by the smell of his aftershave), "is a _special _one."

Still dazed by his hands on her shoulders, Cammie didn't register Zach's words until later. "Wait- what's _that _supposed to mean?"

**A/N: Well, Zach's a cocky one, isn't he?**


	4. Marriage?

**_DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO ALLY CARTER, GOD'S GIFT TO YA READERS._**

_Three years before "After"…_

An odd feeling rushed through Zach's body. He couldn't decipher whether or not it was a good feeling or a bad one, but at least he was feeling _something_.

His side hurt like hell, the pain spreading quickly across his abdomen. He'd known Cammie was good- but _damn_, the girl could throw a punch.

"Well," a sarcastic voice cut through the thick summer air, "I never though Zachary Goode would be groveling on my bedroom floor in pain, but- hey- you see something new every day."

"Is being an asshole in your blood or do you just take classes?"

"I don't appreciate your attitude."

"Go get me some ice."

"Say 'please' and I'll consider it."

"Go get me some ice."

"I didn't hear a 'please', Zachary."

"You know I'm not saying it- so go get me some ice."

"I really don't know why Cammie puts up with you- you're annoying and demanding and cocky and irritating and insane and-"

"Gee, I'm really feeling the love here, Nick."

"You must be feeling something else- I'm giving anything but love to _you_."

Nicholas Hale, wealthy heir to the Hale empire (of makeup essentials, oddly enough), was never really a fan of Zachary Goode. He was too cocky and annoying and downright infuriating. And too good-looking (though he'd never admit that out loud)- Nick literally had a list of how many girls he'd "lost" to Zach in the past three years, but he _hated_ it. And now he was losing Cammie Morgan (Girl #47) to him.

Zach rolled his eyes, grabbing an ice pack from the mini-fridge next to his bed. "Seriously, Nick- who stuck a stick up your ass?"

"You. You're an asshole."

"You're the one making snarky comebacks."

"I don't have to deal with this," Nick snarled.

_Cammie, how the hell am I supposed to stay here with this piece of shit? _he thought.

Nick seriously regretted agreeing to room with Zachary Goode, but the minute Cammie openly stared at him, begging with _those eyes_, he dropped everything, packed his bags and headed for the Academy.

Zach scoffed. "You have two suitcases outside and a duffel bag over your shoulder, Nicholas- I think you'll have to deal with _this_," he smirked, pointing to himself, "for a while."

::::

"I don't see why you two can't get along."

Nick let out a wry laugh. "He has a _Roadster_, Cam. Even I don't have one, and I became a millionaire at age _five_."

Cammie rolled her eyes. "It's just a car, Nicholas. Why are you so worked up about it?"

"He doesn't even _use_ it, Cam. I mean, why have a $2.5-million dollar car and just let it sit in a garage?"

"Oh, I see," she looked at Nick, smirking, "you're _jealous_."

Nick turned his head so quickly anyone would've thought he'd gotten whiplash. "_No. _I am _not _jealous of that prick. Far from it actually. Who in their right mind would be jealous of _Zachary Goode_?"

"You, apparently."

Nick narrowed his eyes. "You take that back right now."

"You're _jealous_," Cammie said, grinning at the realization. "Whoa, you're _jealous_."

"No, I'm not."

Cammie jumped into one of the couches in the room. "The way I see it, you think Zach's gotten to me and now you're out to get him," she deduced. Cammie had always known Nick felt something towards her, something more than a normal friendship. She, however, had never returned those feelings (or even if she did, not as intensely). It wasn't that Nick wasn't attractive (because he was), but Cammie never saw him that way. She'd known Nick for several years- seven, now- but she'd always seen him as a best friend, a brother.

She laughed at the thought that Nick was jealous. She understood why, but it was an odd notion. Nick might've liked her, yes- but he certainly didn't fancy her as much as he did Macey. (Though Cammie had refrained from telling _that _to the both of them- secrets were much better kept hidden, after all.)

"Really, Nick. Zach's just a friend," Cammie reassured. "Besides, you shouldn't be stomping around, steam pouring out of your ears because of _Zach_. You should be out on the lawn, drinking spiked lemonade with your favorite McHenry."

At the mention of Macey, Nick's back straightened. Cammie laughed at his sudden change in demeanor- Nick had always been interested in Macey. Indirectly, Nick had caused Macey to fall for him as well, but being blinded by his "feelings" for Cammie, Macey had given up hope.

"She's here? I thought she was still in Moscow?"

Cammie smiled. "Nicholas, go," she urged, pointing towards the door.

::

"Would you care to explain why Nick was dashing down the main stairs like a mad man?"

Cammie glanced up from the _Vanity Fair _magazine, meeting Zach's eyes. "Macey."

Zach raised an eyebrow. "I thought he liked _you_."

"He _thinks _he does, but he really does love Macey. I don't know what to do to make him realize it though," Cammie admitted, putting her magazine down. She'd been doing a lot of this lately- talking to both Zach and Nick about their "problems". She felt like a therapist, having sessions with two roommates who could've been best mates in another life. Unfortunately, Zach was a "prick" and Nick was an "asshole", so Cammie ended up being the mediator.

"Haven't you tried telling him?"

"He's insistent that he likes me, though we don't really talk much about it anymore. I've led him on one too many times- he thinks himself in love with me," she told him, a mixture of sorrow and something else in her eye. Zach couldn't make out what it was, but he could tell it bothered her.

And that bothered him. As much as he told himself that he didn't like her- couldn't like her- it bothered him when she was upset. Zach tried to push the feeling away, but it kept on coming back. It was happening a lot recently- she was always on his mind, and Zach wished she wasn't.

He had been sent here for a reason- his parents were psychopathic- and it hadn't been to fall in love with some girl. Roseville had been a horrible place for business relations, but Zach had known better than to question his parents' orders. Being a child of corporate America – save being insanely rich- was a serious pain in the ass.

Try being a _spy _too.

:::

Zachary Goode had been in Headmistress Morgan's office exactly twice in his lifetime.

The first was an awkward encounter, because Joe Solomon had been sitting on a nearby couch staring daggers into Zach's side. After all, speaking to Cammie Morgan was a dangerous matter when her family got involved. Apparently, having "secret interludes" with the headmistress' daughter was a call for a chat. (A chat that had escalated _very _quickly- Zach would give anything to forget _that _conversation).

The second was now. Macey McHenry sat beside him, glaring in annoyance at the azure walls of Ms. Morgan's office. The headmistress stood to the side, her posture straight, but her expression confused.

And sitting before him were his parents.

And Macey's.

And they were _all_ smiling, which called for serious alarm, because Zach's dad _never _smiled.

"Well, Zachary," his mother drawled, "it's certainly wonderful to see you again. I was beginning to worry about you and-"

"I was gone for _two months _and you're worrying now?" Zach said, teeth clenched tight. "I could've been _dead _by now."

"Zachary, that is no way to speak to your mother."

Catherine and Arthur Goode had never been very good parents. Corporate America had always been their calling, not a son. So the neglected him- Zach could disappear off the face of the Earth and they wouldn't notice until five years later _at the least_.

James McHenry had resorted to private business after losing the election two years ago, and Cynthia's cosmetics line had been booming as of late.

So yes, their parents were rich. They were powerful.

And they had children who had mutual hate for the other.

James coughed loudly, breaking the awkward silence. "Well," he began, "I'm sure the two of you are wondering why we're here," at which point Macey snorted, "and I know, Macey, that you won't like this, but-"

There was a pregnant pause as James took a breath in.

"You two are getting married."

:::

And _then, _the chaos began.

**A/N: So I know it's been almost three months…**

**This may seem odd, but the previous chapter was much, much, ****_much _****further into the future. It was a glimpse of what's to come. I know it's a little confusing at this point, and I do apologize. I think I might just delete it, to avoid further confusion. (and since I've written this chapter, it has been deleted-sorry)**

**Feel free to leave any questions about the chapter in a PM or review.**

**WHEW. Gosh, I sounded awful in that A/N. Gave me the shivers.**

**Anyways, this chapter was done in such a rush, because I really wanted to update this… so this is just a jumble of everything and it's a plot filler- just a plot filler- of what's happening.**

**If it got really confusing for you:**

**A) Nick and Zach are roommates, and they hate each other. Why? Because Nick likes Cammie, but Nick thinks that Cammie likes Zach.**

**B) Nick thinks he has feelings for Cammie, and he does- but his feelings for Macey are much stronger, even though he doesn't realize it yet.**

**C) Cammie is conflicted (that was that "confusion in her eyes") about her feelings towards Zach, because she doesn't know how he really feels about her. (Damnit, Zach- just man up and tell her already!)**

**D) Zach does go to Blackthorne (yes, he's a trained spy) but his parents, unbeknownst to Blackthorne's true identity, often send Zach to do their dirty work (corporate meetings), as Zach will inherit the Goode business when they pass.**

**And the big whopper….**

**E) Zach and Macey's parents have arranged a marriage. Between them. Zach and Macey are getting ****_married._**

~ilovemesomecupcakes


	5. Hands Entwined

**DISCLAIMER: ALLY CARTER OWNS ALL CHARACTERS.**

In Zach's lifetime, he'd done many ludicrous things- jumping off the Empire State to save Grant's dumb ass, for instance- but marrying Macey McHenry had to be the most outrageous. It wasn't that Macey was ugly- in fact, it was that she _wasn_'_t_. Zach found her appearance distracting- so distracting that it was annoying. Macey possessed this kind of… _ethereal _beauty, and Zach, even though he felt favorably towards Cammie, couldn't ignore that.

Macey didn't understand Zach. She had been labeled the 'Boy Translator' by her roommates, but she couldn't figure out Zachary Goode. He had a way of being effortlessly cryptic, hiding everything behind the fortified walls of his mind. And as much as she wanted to help Cammie understand him, she couldn't.

Zach cared about Cammie, he really did. He cared whether she cried, whether she laughed, whether she failed or whether she succeeded. He was drawn to her- but so was everyone else. Cammie had a special air to her, a way of drawing unwanted attention from the people around her- and it was dangerous. Dangerous for Zach, because he knew getting attached was never a good thing for a spy.

:::

"What do you mean 'Zach and I are getting married'?" Cammie hissed.

Macey glanced nervously at her friend. "Our parents decided that-"

"Since when do you follow your parents' wishes? Since when does _Zach _follow orders of any kind, for that matter?" she spat.

Rachel Morgan sat across from her daughter, her arms crossed, and eyes sincere with understanding. "Cammie, honey, it's not a choice or a wish- it's an requirement, and they don't have any other option."

"I can't believe this."

"You don't have to, because it happening whether you like it or not. Cammie, you don't get a decision. The Goodes and the McHenrys have already made up their minds."

_"I don't fucking believe this."_

Ms. Morgan looked worriedly down at her daughter.

Millions of thoughts swirled in Cammie's head. _Is this really happening?_ Well, duh. Her mom just said so. It didn't change the twisting pain in her chest, though. She hadn't realized the full magnitude of her feelings towards Zach until now. It was oddly refreshing initially, accepting that she was _totally in love with Zach Goode_, but Macey's confession had hit her like a brick.

A really hard brick.

She bit back a choking cry. _I will not cry over this. I will not cry of Zach Goode. He's marrying Macey and you can't stop anything from happening. You have to let go. You have to let go of him. You must let go of him._

And in the following weeks, however much she tried, she couldn't let go.

She constantly wondered what was happening, with Zach and Macey gone for wedding preparations (she still laughed at the thought of the two of them being married), and if the two had ever kissed or hugged.

It wasn't paranoia- it was worry. Cammie had always been insecure- she knew she wasn't the prettiest, the smartest or the most popular. She was plain, the one who fit in, the unseen girl in the corner.

Zach didn't like her _like that_\- she knew that, or rather assumed it. Of course, she hadn't ever attempted to figure out whether or not he did, and even Macey couldn't figure it out.

So when the two appeared in the Grand Hall three weeks into the rainy month of April, hands entwined, Cammie was left wondering _what the hell had happened._

And she wasn't looking forward to the answer.

:::

Something had happened. Something weird. Cammie didn't know what it was, but as much as she hated it- _something had happened_.

And whatever this something was, it had caused an unlikely relationship to form between Zach and Macey. The kind of relationship that Cammie had feared.

Zachary Goode stood in front of the grand staircase, fingers laced in his girlfriend's. A bright smile graced his face as he turned his gaze toward her. Macey's dark hair brushed softly over her shoulder, her blue eyes gazing at her friends at the end of the hallway. A large smile broke across her face as she let go of Zach's hand and ran towards them.

"Macey McHenry, you had better explain yourself," Bex said, before crushing Macey in a fierce hug. Liz joined in, her thins arms surprisingly strong as the three girls embraced.

"Where's Cam?"

Bex stepped away from Macey abruptly. "She's around somewhere. Just got back from town a couple hours ago."

Macey stared blankly back at her. "Oh. Too bad."

It was a lie, but Macey didn't question it. Bex felt guilty, lying to one of her best friends like that, but Cammie's insistence on not seeing Zach or Macey reverberated in her mind. Macey's disappointment was not hidden- she had hoped to see Cammie. As much as she feared her friend's anger (Macey knew how Cammie had felt towards Zach), she feared her absence more.

:::

_Two years before "After"_

_-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-_

In the year following Zach and Macey's leave of absence, Cammie felt strangely relieved- a sort of relaxation and calmness that was unexplainable. Bex had claimed that the stress of liking someone as annoying as Zach Goode had taken the life out of Cammie for three months. Liz was a little more practical (not that Bex's theory was wrong, really), acknowledging Cammie's eventual acceptance of the Goodes' and McHenrys' decision as the source.

Cammie knew Zach and Macey were going to get married, and there was nothing that she could do to stop that. She had repeatedly told herself that, a mantra that had gotten boring _really _fast, until it had been burned into the back of her mind.

So, in the fall that Zach and Macey had left, Cammie Morgan officially "got over" Zach. Of course, she still cared about him- her first (real) love would always hold a special place in her heart- but she was done with Zach Goode, romantically.

And she was okay with that, really. In fact, she and Nick had gotten much closer after Macey left- not in _that _way. (He could be a serious pain in the arse sometimes.) Nick would always love Macey, and Cammie knew that. She had helped Nick realize that just a few days after Macey had left- when he had broken down crying and Cammie helped him get his shit together. It had taken four hours too long for Cammie to finally convince him that it was Macey he loved, not her.

A smile broke across her face as she watched her best friend interact with her fiancée.

It took a while for Cammie to realize that she had once been _in love _with this fiancée. But when she saw Zach holding hands with Macey, in blatant view of the rest of her classmates and teachers, something took hold of her. An odd twist in her chest, a weird panging in her heart that she had not expected. Cammie was happy for the two of them- she really was. But she couldn't ignore that piercing regret in her heart, and she tore away from the top of the staircase, running in the opposite direction.

Dark green eyes followed her slim figure as she slipped away.

:::

**A/N: I understand that the whole Zach/Macey thing is really awkward, and I apologize, but Zammie never happens without a good conflict (this conflict is going to be a quite messy one, I'm afraid).**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	6. I Hate It

SIX

Zach watched as she disappeared into a narrow corridor, her golden hair vanishing behind the wall. He felt a strange itching to follow her, as if the look of passive happiness on her face was calling to him. His hand, however, was still in the tight grasp of Macey's hand as more people floated towards them. Zach could barely register the 'Hellos' and 'How have you beens' as Macey pulled him further into the crowd. Grant's face appeared suddenly, a couple yards away, by the stairs. Zach walked over to greet his friend.

"Hey, man. It's been a while." They shook hands awkwardly. Cammie had been the closest thing Grant had to a sister, and he loved her just as so. Zach's engagement had obviously left an odd rift between the two- and Zach's departure hadn't helped.

Zach offered a weak smile. "Hey, I don't know what changed around here, but please tell me Jonas didn't-"

"You've been gone a long time, Zach." Grant's voice was low and curt. Zach found himself desperately missing the humor in his friend's voice.

"It wasn't a choice I could make," he replied defensively. He noticed suddenly that Macey was no longer beside him, his hand gripping nothing but cold air.

They were alone now, in the middle of the hallway, both leaning against the wall, side by side- but the mood was far from comfortable.

"Things have changed."

Grant let out a wry laugh. "So you've noticed."

Time seemed to stop, until Zach took a breath and asked what had been on his mind since the moment he'd arrived.

"How is she?"

Grant's head shot to look at him, his eyebrows narrowing. "Did you seriously just ask that?"

"I know I've been gone a long time-"

"You've done more than 'been gone a long time'. You left her here a whole year, Zach. She didn't know what to do, or how to feel. She didn't just lose you, man- she lost Macey, too," Grant said, his voice rising. "How do you think she was?"

"I-" Zach paused, at a loss for words, staring hopelessly at his friend.

Grant's voice simmered with anger, before it softened. "She's my sister, Zach- and words can't even begin to describe how miserable she was. She was so lost, man. _Bex _had to talk to her- and you know how Bex is dealing with feelings. It took us three weeks to get her to start eating again- and even then she barely took three bites of anything."

_She wasn't eating? _Zach thought worriedly.

Grant continued, his voice lowering. "Three months, Zach. She was completely confused and alone for _three_ months. I can't tell you how many times she showed up crying at my door at night. I thank God that Nick showed up- he helped her get better." He paused, sighing as he pushed himself off the wall. "I don't know why you came back, or what you intended to do- but if you want to see her, I think you'd be better off trying to kill the Queen."

:::

Cammie sat in the garden, staring blankly as the daisies danced in the wind. She heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching, and she moved to get up, a hand clasped down onto her shoulder, pressing her down.

"Why didn't you come down?"

It took her a while for her to answer- her mind was still a mess of emotions. "I couldn't bear to see the two of you together. I kept telling myself that I was okay with it- the two of your together- but when I saw you two so happy, I don't know, something switched off."

"Cam, I-"

Cammie laughed softly. "No, Macey. I'm fine- it's okay. He likes you and you like him, I get it. Honestly, I'm _fine_," she said assuredly, waving off Macey's concerned look.

"Well, that's good to hear-because considering how you've been moping about for the past four weeks- that sounds like a goddamned lie to me."

The two girls whirled around to see the dark figure in front of them. Macey's eyes widened, her mouth opening in a wide gasp.

"Nicholas," Cammie said wryly. "What an honor it is for you to grace us with your presence," she drawled, a sarcastic smile appearing on her face.

He grinned, slinging an arm around her as he sat down beside her. "Cameron!" he placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense (to which Cammie rolled her eyes), "I thought we had established this already!"

Macey was still gaping at him, her jaw slung wide open as she watched him interact with her friend. She hadn't remembered the two being so close- she had known that Nick felt something towards Cammie when she left- but obviously those feelings were now returned.

"Nick, seriously, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Kabul!"

"Got back yesterday, and you know- I just couldn't _wait _to see my favorite person," the sarcasm practically dripping from his voice.

Cammie laughed. "Well, I'm your person."

Nick opened his mouth to reply, but stopped abruptly. Cammie immediately took notice, and worriedly began looking around, her head craning over his to see what was wrong. "What is it Nick? What's-"

She froze as she saw Zach appear from the underbrush of the garden. Grant followed closely behind, an irritated expression on his face. The two boys had yet to see the three on the bench.

"Look, Zach, you have to talk to her. You can't just avoid her and think that everything is going to be okay. She was hurt- and I don't think Cam is one to forgive easily- so you better get your shit together, Goode."

"For the last time Grant, I'm not trying to avoid her."

Grant let out a dark laugh. "That's hard to believe, because-"He immediately closed his mouth as his gaze settled on her.

"Shit."

Nick stood up first. "Grant, it's nice to see your lazy ass up again," he said cheekily, before turning towards Zach, throwing him a pointed glare then stalking out.

"Excuse him, he's had a flair for the dramatic as of late." Cammie's voice was soft- not the kind of soft where you're nervous and on the verge of a metal breakdown, nor was it the kind of soft where you had just lost your voice after getting the wind knocked out of you after a long-fought battle with Rebecca Baxter in P&amp;E.

No, it was the kind of soft that was so soft it was scary, because you were trying to hide all the emotions bottled up in your head. Cammie's brain was swimming in a tangled mess of emotions- sadness, hurt, betrayal, anger. And she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to deal with it. And so she didn't.

She let out a little laugh, tilting her head towards the darkening sky, willing her tears not to fall. "Um, wow- gosh," she blew out a breath, trying to hold her composure. "I'd better go after him before he smashes another vase."

And then she vanished through the vines, her blonde hair swaying.

Grant threw Zach a look before going after her. "I told you, didn't I?"

:::

Grant found her huddled in a pile of blankets, a large bowl of mint chip ice cream nestled in her small hands, a remote control in front of her crossed legs as she stared blankly at reruns of _Boy Meets World_. Her hair tossed into a bun, her eyes glazed over, and he knew she was trying not to break down. He sat on the edge of her bed, not saying a word.

"Why can't my life be like Corey and Topanga? It'd be so much easier- a lot less pain, Grant."

He looked at her worriedly. "You okay, Cams?"

"I don't know."

Grant slung an arm over her shoulder. "Hey, forget about Zach. Who cares if he's getting married. You're Cameron-_freaking_-Morgan and you kick ass on your own- you don't need him. You're awesome, Cam, okay? You can't let him get to you like that."

She sighed. "Grant, I don't know. When I saw them together at-"

"If it makes you feel better Nick got stuck watching Iron Man again." He was relieved to see a small smile form.

"Mom does like her vases intact- besides, Nick had it coming," she said, now smiling.

The conversation was (rudely) interrupted by a furious Bex Baxter and laughing Elizabeth Sutton barging into the suite.

"Honestly, I don't know how anyone can hate Iron Man, Liz. What does anyone see in him? I get that you like him and all, but really? He hates _Iron Man_\- and no one hates Iron Man. I think he's on crack, Liz, you should get him checked."

"You didn't have to punch him," Liz pointed out.

Bex shrugged. "It was only a black eye. He'll recover."

Liz snorted. _"Only."_

"He's fine! If he can't handle a bloody black eye, I don't know what we'll do with him."

Bex and Liz stopped short, looking at their friend. "What the _hell _happened?"

:::

"Ugh, I have a headache," Cammie groaned, shoving her face into the nearest pillow.

"Well, you're going to have an even bigger one if you don't explain _what the hell happened_," Bex retorted. (Cammie had to give it to her- the girl was relentless.)

"You know, I don't have to deal with you. I could just relax and-"

"You will do no such thing, because you are going to open your mouth and_ spill_."

Cammie sighed in defeat. "I hate talking to you."

"The sentiment it returned," Bex said, grinning- which caused Cammie to scoot back warily- "why don't you tell us what Zachary Jack-Ass Goode did this time."

"Why do you assume it was Zach."

Bex and Liz both gave her a look.

"Okay, fine- it was Zach, _but-_" Cammie held up a finger, "he didn't do anything wrong."

Bex snorted. "Since when does Zachary Goode do the _right _thing?"

"Since- since…" Cammie tried, but to no avail. She had to admit it, Zach _was _an asshole. He always had been. "Okay fine, you're right- but seriously, he didn't do anything."

"Then why the _bloody hell _are there twelve empty tissue boxes on the floor?"

"I really don't appreciate your tone, Rebecca."

Bex looked straight to the ceiling, trying to hold in her annoyance. "I'm going to let that one slide, just this once, because I know you're hurting-"

"For the last time, Bex- I'm not hurting."

"Then talk."

Cammie sighed. "I'm confused, okay? I know that he's with Macey, and that they both like each other _a lot_, but I can't do anything about it- it's out of my control. I can't just sabotage their relationship because they both mean too much to me. I can't stand the thought that they're getting married and they'll be together forever, and I'll- I'll be stuck alone and I hate it," she spoke quickly, fearing that if she didn't say this now, she never would. "I hate it," she closed her eyes, breathing hard, "because I know I still love him. And I never stopped." She looked up at her best friend, who she trusted with everything she had.

"And I don't think I ever will."

:::

* * *

**A/N: Well that was heartbreaking to write. I can't imagine how difficult it is to read. **

**I apologize greatly for the delay… I've been sick for the past two weeks and it's been terrible.**

**gallaghergeek4ever: Sorry to disappoint?**

**OhNobody: First things first, I apologize for making you almost cry- but thank you so much! I'm so glad that you like this story!**

**Teenage Gallagher Girl Spy: Haha- the feels. If it makes you feel better, as I write these chapters, it makes me quite uncomfortable and sad as well :/**

**Zozo2001: #1- Thank you for loving this story. #2-I HATE Zacey too, but in this plot, it's necessary. I apologize. #3- Yes, conflict is quite inevitable. #4- I HATE IT TOO. #5- Sorry, Preston doesn't exist in the _Routine Love Story _universe. #6- I've written another chapter- please don't explode (that would be really messy, I'd assume). #7- Thank YOU for blessing this story with your amazing review!**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS AND THE SUPPORT! (And once again, I apologize for the subpar chapter… Summer gets into my head.)**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	7. Whipped Cream and Windows

SEVEN

::

* * *

"The _one _bloody day that we get to go to town," Bex said as she drew a towel around her hair, "you decide that you 'Don't want to go'? Are you out of your mind? Do you _like _being trapped in this fortress, or do you enjoy blowing me off?"

Cammie rolled over in her bed, groaning. "Bex, it's-" she looked over at her clock, eyes blinking slowly, "-7:32 in the morning. Would you please keep it down? Thanks _so much_." She returned to her original fetal position amongst her numerous blankets, before Bex so graciously discarded them once again.

"Cameron Ann Morgan, I swear on the Queen's left hand-" at which point Cammie shot up, gasping dramatically before rolling her eyes, "that if you don't get your bloody arse off the bed this instant, I will personally call Nick up here myself."

Groaning once more before tossing the bed sheets off her body, Cammie reluctantly stood up, dragging her feet towards the bathroom, muttering incomprehensibly.

"Be done in fifteen!" Bex yelled, exiting the dorm.

:::

* * *

He grinned as she walked down the steps, her skirt billowing in the breeze. Her dark hair was clipped up, her face clear and smiling as she took his hand.

"It's been a while hasn't it?"

"It has," she replied, grinning, before stepping into the car. "Come on, Zach. The movie starts in twenty minutes and I want good seats." He shut the passenger seat in response. As he turned around, a flash of red appeared in the corner of his eye, and he immediately froze. Vaguely, he remembered the dress that she'd worn on that night. She'd been so beautiful.

But as he looked at the girl sitting in his car, he shook his head, clearing his mind. Macey tilted her head in concern. "Zach, are you alright?"

He looked back again, but she was gone. "I'm fine Mace," he reassured. "Let's hurry- I heard Tom Cruise hangs off the plane in the first two minutes."

::

"See, what I don't understand why you brought me out here, if you didn't have anything planned in the first place," Cammie said, crossing her arms in frustration. Her dress was uncomfortable, the red fabric pulling against her sides in almost unbearable pain.

"I blame that horrid dress you're wearing for this attitude, Morgan. You're usually not so prissy until late afternoon," Nick retorted, grinning wickedly. Looking down at his friend, he continued more light-heartedly. "Besides, it is rather nice out. Enjoy the sun, Morgan- Look, even Bex and Grant are sharing ice cream."

"If you're implying that I might share my ice cream with you, you're extremely mistaken, Nicholas," Cammie responded, tossing her hair back as she crossed the street. It was nice, she admitted, to be out here with her friends. At least she didn't have to see Zach every second here.

_Stop thinking about him, Cammie. _

It had been only three days since he and Macey had arrived, and she had to admit- she'd done a good job avoiding the couple. She understood the rationale behind their relationship- Macey would never intentionally hurt her- and the fact that the pair had developed true feelings for the other, though it hurt profusely, was a fact that Cammie had to accept, even if she still loved him.

So, she walked into the parlor, glancing around before heading towards the empty booth in the back, laughing as Nick jogged in, glaring at her before joining her.

She barely noticed Zach watching her from the park bench across the street.

:::

* * *

She sat in the garden watching the blossoms on the tree flutter down. A box of fresh raspberries sat beside her on the bench. Bex was off to London again for break- a weekend getaway with Grant and her parents (Cammie worried of the possible outcomes- vacations with Bex were always either dangerous or violent). Liz was visiting Jonas in D.C..

She popped another raspberry in her mouth. She would be alone again this spring break- her mom was on business in New York, so the mansion was all to herself. (Well, Nick didn't count. He was always here.)

Cammie rather enjoyed being alone, actually. Contrary to popular belief, Bex snored quite a bit. And when I say snore- I mean _snore_. Cammie liked to describe it as a growling bear singing on stage using a megaphone. Multiplied by ten.

And Liz never turned off her desk light. Like _never_. Bex had once tried to turn it off so that she could get some sleep, and Liz tackled her in the middle of the floor, glaring so intensely that Cammie had even jumped from her position in her bed.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard the crunch of leaves behind her. Turning around, she was met with a fresh plate of whipped cream. She screamed in surprise.

"Nicholas Hale, I am _so _going to get you!" she yelled, wiping her eyes to see her friend's gleeful expression. She glared at him. "You have three seconds to run."

He laughed, taking off in the direction of the castle before she chased after him.

:::

* * *

Zach sat in his room, hanging his discarded clothes on the supplied hangers. His two suitcases sat in the far corner of the room, finally empty after three days.

"Zach, I'm going to head out and grab some coffee," Macey called through the connecting door. "Do you want anything?"

"Not in the mood for coffee- be careful, babe!" he responded, before hearing the click of the door and a faint 'goodbye'.

The sound of laughter startled him from outside the window. He peered out, pushing the curtains away from the arch.

Nick was running through the gardens, seemingly escaping from a petty endeavor. Zach was about to turn away before he saw a glimpse of the blonde hair.

_Cammie._

Since he'd come back to Gallagher, everything slowly fell back into place. He and Grant were on speaking terms now- they'd even gone to the gym a couple times together. Jonas could never hold a grudge, either. But Cammie was an enigma- he could never decipher what she was thinking, how she was thinking, what she would do. He knew for a fact that he liked Macey- he was going to marry her, for God's sake- and that wouldn't change (or so he thought), but there was a certain intrigue about Cameron Ann Morgan. It was a certain pull, a feeling that Zach always got when he saw her or near her. He didn't know whether or not the feelings he had for her were still there- even if they were, he'd suppressed them to nearly nothing.

And so it was decided, he thought. Watching her dart around the rose garden, her melodic laugh tinkling in the air as she tackled Nick in the grass, he smiled sadly before turning away.

:::

_'Cause I still don't know how to act, don't know what to say_

_Still wear the scars like it was yesterday_

_But you're long gone and moved on_

_But you're long gone_

_~The Script (Long Gone and Moved On)_

_::_

* * *

**A/N: Once again, terribly sorry. **

**I'm going to keep this one short, because I have to get to writing the next chapter (YAY), but thanks so much for all the amazing reviews I got for the last chapter- you all are so amazing.**

**Sunniva Steiner: Don't worry, Zammie will get patched up soon, but not without a few bumps in the road, of course.**

**BookGuru101: SOON, don't worry! Zammie always prevails!**

**Teenage Gallagher Girl Spy: DON'T CRY- THAT IS NOT MY INTENTION! But 'the feels' will continue piling on, I'm afraid. (I advise tissues?) THANK YOU- you are a remarkable author as well. (:**

**Zammiandjackunzel4evaderp: YES ZAMMIE WILL REAPPEAR SOON I PROMISE.**

**OhNobody: Your penname is very misleading, I must admit- you can't be nobody- but back to the point. I'm so glad you like this story! The good ones always make me cry too, don't worry, Youa re nto alone. (:**

**Samanthabooks13: I'm so glad you like this story… as for the update, I think the facts prove that I am not the world's greatest updater (I'm quite horrible at it, if you've noticed… sorry).**

**LH0001: YAY- HERE'S THE UPDATE. (After three months… goodness, I'm horrible.)**

**Guest: AND THE NEW CHAPTER AWAITS YOU.**

**Gallaghergirl614: Zammie takes time, I'm afraid. But I've updated finally! I hope you like this story best!**

**Guest: OH I'M SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH. This one's crap, though. I apologize.**

**PLLandGG: I'VE UPDATED… sorry for the wait (:**

**ProudlyUnique: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! I must say, 'the feels' get me all the time too, even as I'm writing. (Which is why I always have my emergency box of tissues).**

**Waxxbean24: YES THE FEELS. IM GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER. **

**THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO REVEIWED. **

**I PROMISE TO TRY TO UPDATE ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS.**

**UNTIL NEXT TIME, **

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	8. Chapter 8

**EIGHT**

**::**

There comes a time when any knowledgeable young woman must assert herself in the real world- to show the rest of society that she is no longer a girl- but a smart, sharp and level-headed lady. Some people call it the "point of maturity"- others call it going to college. At the Gallagher Academy, this 'development stage' (as Headmistress Morgan called it) was to be expressed in the form of a ball. And this year, there were going to be _boys_.

It was a notion that Cammie Morgan annually disagreed with.

"I just don't understand the point of dresses, Bex," she huffed, pouting at the mirror.

"They make you look pretty, like a dandelion."

Cammie scowled. "Well this one makes my waist feel like it's being squeezed by a python."

"Stop whining. The ball's in three days and we still haven't found a proper dress for you yet."

"How many times to I have to tell you that I don't want to go?"

"None. Because you're going."

Cammie frowned. "That doesn't seem very fair."

"It isn't," she replied, smirking, pullling out another floor-length gown from the closet. "This one."

Groaning, Cammie grabbed the dress and trudged into the bathroom, muttering lightly.

Bex grinned to herself.

_We are going to show Zachary Goode just what he has missed._

:::

Cammie Morgan was never a fan of heels. They were the epitome of feminine fashion statements that killed the true value of a woman- to her at least.

For example, the pair of strappy Black Vera Wang heels that Rebecca Baxter had _oh-so-politely_ forced her into twenty minutes ago was now the focus of about fifteen or so boys from the 'prestigious' Blackthorne Institute. Not to mention her legs too. It was disturbingly disgusting.

So much for their supposed prowess.

As she descended the stairs alone, she glared down at her best friend, who was staring up at her innocently from the base of the grand staircase. Cammie narrowed her eyes, mouthing a silent 'I-hate-you' as she nearly tripped on the marble step. Instantly, three boys leaned towards her stumbling form, at which point she yelped in fear- there was no way she was touching _any _guy tonight.

After her 'graceful' half-stumble down to the foyer, Bex immediately linked arms with her friend, dragging her into the ballroom. Deep velvet blue curtains adorned the walls, bordering the twenty-foot windows. Firefly lights were strung about the ceilings, twinkling like millions of sparkling stars. Young women and men swirled across the floor, whirling hues of reds, purples and greens.

Cammie smiled. "I've gotta say- Nick did a pretty good job."

And almost if he could hear his name from any place on Earth, Nicholas Hale appeared behind her, grinning. "Why, thank you, Miss Morgan."

"When will I ever get a break from you?"

Nick gave her a quick once over, admiring her form in her tight-fitting dress. She blushed, silently cursing Bex for finding this dress in the first place. "I've gotta say," he mimicked, laughing, "you did a pretty good job too."

"Thanks." She gave him a tight smile as she saw a flash of dark brown over Nick's shoulder. Instantly, Nick frowned.

"I thought we agreed that you'd stop moping."

"I'm not moping," she shot back quickly. "It's nothing anyways." She turned towards the punch table. "I'm going to get a drink. Come with me?"

Without waiting for an answer, she pushed her way through the crowd. Nick followed after her,shaking his head.

:::

Macey McHenry was not a stupid girl. She was quite intelligent- she was an attendant of the Gallagher Academy, after all. She knew that Zach, however much he told her that he loved her, would never feel for her as much as he did for _her. _So it didn't come as a surprise when she noticed her fiancee watching a certain blonde-haired girl one of the booths, laughing with Nicholas Hale.

"Zach?"

"Do you miss her?"

He looked at her, eyes wide. "What?"

Macey shook her head, smiling sadly. "Cammie. Do you miss her?"

"Mace-"

"I know we're getting married an everything, but Zach-"

Zach gripped her waist tighter as they continued dancing. "Macey. I love you- how could you doubt that?"

She gave him a sharp look. "Stop bullshitting me, Zach. I'm not stupid. I know you've been watching her."

"That doesn't mean anything."

She stopped in her footsteps. "Then we must have very different definitions of mooning over exes."

Zach blew out a breath, obviously frustrated. "Will you stop being so paranoid? You sound like my mother."

"Fine, tell me then: is it wrong for me to think that you still love her?"

"Mace-"

"And I want the truth, Zach."

He pulled her over to the nearby wall. "Macey McHenry," he said, his emerald eyes boring in to hers, "I love you and no one else but you and that is the absolute truth, I swear it."

:::

Of all the places in the Gallagher Academy, Cammie's favorite was the gazebo. The small white owning was a quaint little alcove in the garden, with a little bench in the corner, a small stream running past the short fencing. Lupins dotted the grass lawn surrounding it, and on certain summer dawns, the purple blossoms would sparkle with morning sunlight.

But that wasn't her favorite part. On particular nights, when the skies were clear like they were on this night, the stars were visible, in their millions, covering the dark haze beautifully.

And so, when the whole atmosphere of the ball became too much for her, she slipped out of the ballroom and made her way through the garden maze, the smell of roses wafting around her. She quickly took off her heels, rubbing them quickly. She could already _feel _the sores forming.

The soft dirt felt cool under her feet, and she undid the ribbon of her dress, pulling the black silk free- and then she could finally feel her blood returning to her waist.

_I am going to kill Bex._

She ran her fingers along the leaves and flowers, twirling in the middle of the path. It was refreshing, being out here alone, with nothing to disturb-

And then suddenly, as if the fates had heard her thoughts, she heard a quiet murmuring form behind the foliage. She turned around and peeked between the leaves.

And her heart dropped. Involuntarily, of course, because she had promised Nick that she would stop moping and she kept telling herself to leave, that it was dangerous to stay and it would cause problems, but his hair was mesmerizing. And she cursed herself, for falling so quickly. She hated it, that she felt such strong feelings for him- and she continued lying to herself that she didn't care, that she _couldn't _care.

She watched as they held each other on the stone bench, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist and her head buried into his neck as they embraced each other. She felt a surge of envy, wishing she could be in his arms. She could remember the smell of his unique shampoo, and she missed wretchedly.

"I love you, Zach."

Cammie's lips trembled as she watched him pull away, looking at Macey deeply.

"And I love you, Macey."

And she swore her heart plummeted fifty feet below the ground.

:::

**A/N: SORRY I WAS SUPPOSED TO UPDATE LAST WEEK AND I TOTALLY FORGOT I AM SO SORRY. SCHOOL SUCKS, UGH.**

**ANYWAYS- Let's get to it:**

**Teenage Gallagher Girl Spy: NOT THAT INTEND TO MAKE YOU CRY, OF COURSE- BUT THIS ONE HIT ME RIGHT IN THE FEELS. I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!**

**zammiandjackunzel4evaderp: DON'T WORRY- ZAMMIE WILL PREVAIL... BUT FOR THE MOMENT, OUR WONDERFUL ZACHARY IS STILL ENGAGED TO MACEY :(**

**LifeisGoode: HAHA, I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT! DON'T WORRY, i'M STICKING AROUND TIL THE END :)**

**Guest: YES! BOY MEETS WORLD IS AWESOME. I HOPE YOU THINK THIS STORY IS JUST AS GOOD (BUT I MUST ADMIT, NOTHING BEATS COREY AND TOPANGA)**

**BookGuru101: SAME- ZAMMIE IS AWESOME... BUT BECAUSE I AM AN EVIL WRITER, WE MUST WAIT (BUT THEY WILL HAPPEN, DON'T YOU WORRY!)**

**Lucyloo: I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE THIS STORY SO MUCH :) AND AS MUCH AS UPDATING STRAINS ME, I WONT STOP WRITING BECAUSE I LOVE ZAMMIE TOO MUCH- I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER!**

**Lovewords: DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND OVER THIS- GOODNESS, THAT WOULD BE DISASTROUS. IM GLAD YOU LIKED IT- YEAH ZACH AND MACEY HAPPENED, AND IT HURTS ME TO SEE CAMMIE SO HURT BUT DON'T WORRY, ZAMMIE SHALL RETURN! **

**OhNobody- I AM BEGINNING TO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP WRITING BECAUSE EVERYONE IS CRYING- WHAT IS GOING ON? BUT I'M SO GLAD YOU ENJOY THIS STORY!**

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS AND YOUR SUPPORT... I PROMISE, CAMMIE'S HEART WILL RETURN FROM FIFTY FEET UNDERGROUND.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	9. Chapter 9

**NINE**

**:::**

There were a lot of things that Rebecca Baxter had done in her life- jump off the Empire State Building to save the Hope Diamond, for instance. She'd done things she was proud of, and things she was ashamed about, but she never regretted the things she did. After all, her parents had raised her to be strong-willed and determined.

But of all the things she'd done, she couldn't help but feel terrible about the night of the ball. She had noticed Cammie slipping out of the room, out to the garden, her shoes in her hand. Nick had given her a questionable look, turning to Bex in confusion. She should've stopped her, but Grant- damn him- had pulled back into the fray of people, asking for _one last dance_.

So now, she was stuck tending to a heartbroken Cammie Morgan for the fifth time in three months.

"I thought we established that you were over him."

"Well, you thought wrong," Cammie replied, her voice weary as she turned over to look at the window. It was a cold day, the bleary gray sky casting shadows over the Academy.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself, Cam."

"I'll do whatever the hell I want to."

Bex was taken aback by her friend's sharp tone. She was getting more cynical by the day, her words tinged with a biting harshness.

"Zach is not the most important thing in life, Cam. There are other people."

Cammie laughed coldly. "Not for me, apparently. I think the world's sent on putting me through hell even before I die."

"You can't possibly think that."

Nick sauntered into the room, grinning at Cammie's annoyed expression. "Well, aren't you a happy camper today?"

"I can't put up with your shit today, Hale. Leave now or I'll have no choice but to shoot you."

Nick glanced over at Bex. "Has she been going on like this all morning?"

"She's been like this all _week."_

He walked over to the edge of her bed, sitting on the small couch beside her. "A bit snarky today, are we?"

"Shut up, Nick," she retorted, earning a slight chuckle from her friend.

"Cam, you can't stay in here all the time. Your friends are worrying about you," he said, leaning on his arm. "Besides, you smell noxious. A bit distracting, really."

"I do not smell," Cammie said indignantly. "And, that's a load of bull. No one cares anymore. The building's half empty. Everyone's on break enjoying their time while Zachary Goode has successfully put me in a perpetual state of heart break. I hate that motherfu-"

"Let's keep to nicer terms, will we?"

"He doesn't deserve nicer terms, the arse he is."

Bex sighed. "Cammie, you can't do this. He may be marrying Macey, but he still cares about you."

"Not likely."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You've got to face him some time, you know."

"Well when I do, I'll tell you the devil says hi."

:::

It took another two days for Cammie to finally get out of bed, and by that time, Bex had left for England. Something about the 'London Eye during July' being amazing, which she didn't really understand because Bex had been on that stupid ferris wheel over a hundred times. (Cammie had personally been forced onto that godforsaken wheel every time she visited Bex in England.)

She crept out of her room, past Nick's body which was sprawled over her couch, and into the quiet hallway. She made her way towards the kitchen, heading for the emergency crème brulee she'd left in there. About halfway down the stairs, she heard a second step of footsteps behind her, and she immediately sped up.

_Shitshitshitshitshit. This cannot be happening right now_.

"Cammie?"

_This is what I get for leaving my room._

"Cammie, I know you can hear me," he called after her.

She broke into a run. _No, I can't see you. And you can't see me. I'm the Chameleon- you're not supposed to see me_.

But of course, the fates were against her and she felt his grip on her wrist seconds later, twisting her around to face him.

_Fuck me. _

"Why are you avoiding me?" Zach said, searching her eyes. She glanced downwards, refusing to meet his eyes. They were still a striking green, the alluring color drawing her in- just as it had used to. She hated that he still had that affect on her.

'Leave me alone, Zach."

"You look terrible, Cams."

She snorted. "And you shouldn't be looking. What would your mother think if you were this close to anyone but Macey?"

"My mother has better things than to worry about Macey and I."

She gave him a withering look. "Obviously not. The two of you are getting married in September, and the daft woman has been dragging your fiance around for the past three months," Cammie said matter-of-factly. "I'd hardly call that 'not worrying' Zach. Besides, shouldn't you be with them, planning for your _highly-anticipated _wedding? I hear Vanity Fair is all over Macey's dress."

"I had business to finish."

She scoffed. "Hard to believe that you have business at school, Zachary."

"My business was you."

Cammie rolled her eyes. She'd heard this far too many times from him before. "Save it, Zachary. I don't want to waste your breath." She turned away from him, her footsteps growing fainter as she stalked out of the room.

He stared after her, oblivious to the silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

:::

**A/N: It's been a while, so I decided to update just a short bit today.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes **


	10. Chapter 10

TEN (A/N: Mild profanity in this chapter.)

After her emotional encounter with Zach, the rest of Winter Break remained an uneventful affair, just as it usually was. She stayed in her room, catching up on CoveOps reports and COW study notes, cuddled under her blankets. It was her sanctuary- she'd always enjoyed the silent solitude that her room offered when her roommates were away. After all, one could only handle so much of Bex's snoring and Liz's constant midnight Calculus mutterings. One week had already passed by, which meant that she only had two more until her peace and quiet would disappear for another six months.

So naturally, Cammie was watching _Friends_ reruns for the fourth winter in a row.

She had been in the middle of a particularly hilarious bit where Joey downed an entire gallon of milk- or rather _tried and failed _to down an entire gallon of milk- when she became alert of the quiet knocking on her door. Cammie groaned in annoyance.

"Nicholas Hale, I swear-" she began, tumbling out of her bed. She trudged towards the door, rubbing her eyes in annoyance and she grabbed the doorknob and swung the door open angrily. Nick greeted her with a smug grin, eyes crinkled in amusement.

"You look like a hag."

"So do you," Cammie huffed, stomping back into the room. "Why do you always insist on disturbing my well-deserved sleep?"

Nick stood at the foot of her bed, grinning at her irritated form. He was promptly hit by a mysterious flying pillow. "Well," he said, ruffling his hair after the pillow attack, "I need you to go and-"

"I'm not talking to Zach." This was the fifth time they'd had this conversation, and she was dead set on defying Nick's demands. She didn't care how many pillows it would take- there was absolutely _no way _she was going to talk to Zach.

"Why not?" Nick pouted.

Cammie glared at him, tossing another pillow. "You know why."

"Cam, please. He's been walking around the grounds like a bloody zombie for weeks. It starting to get on my nerves, really."

"Well that doesn't really give me much incentive to talk to him, does it?" she replied, adding a cheeky smile before her lips pulled into a flat line once again.

"This is not funny."

"I beg to differ."

"Cameron."

"Nicholas."

And so proceeded one the greatest staring contests to ever go down in stare contest history. Nick looked at Cammie, silently pleading with her with a hint of exasperation. Cammie, being Cammie, was unrelenting, and was "disinclined to acquiesce to his request". (She'd just been through all four Pirates of the Caribbean movies and the lines were getting to her. She was tempted to scream "Parley!" to Nick's stupid face. Really tempted.)

Nick sat up from the bed, arms crossed in frustration. "Fine, I really didn't want to do this but you have left me no choice, Cameron," he said, faking an apologetic look before tossing her over his shoulder.

:::

Twenty minutes later an angry Cammie Morgan sat upon one of the bar stools in the academy's kitchen, violently taking a bite from her sandwich as she burned metaphorical holes into Nick's skull. She swallowed the avocado and roast beef quickly, distracting herself from his impending questions. (Nick always asked questions when she ate- he was like a broken record that never stopped repeating. It was tremendously annoying.)

"Enjoying that are you?"

She ignored him, devouring her sandwich in rapid bites, swallowing when necessary. Nick stifled a laugh.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like a bear when you eat?" he asked, to which she promptly flipped him off.

"No one cares about your stupid opinions, Nicholas."

They went on with their banter for another thirty minutes- Nick amusedly asking questions and Cammie giving snarky replies- until they actually started talking; their friendship thrived off of these conversations. It was the only way they ever got each other to open up. They sat on opposite sides of the kitchen island, eating the last of the fresh strawberries picked from the garden, taking turns to ask each other random questions.

"How was Kabul?"

Nick snorted. "Just as you'd expect. Hot. Dangerous. Surprisingly friendly people though, you know- despite all the insurrection and all. Almost got killed by a firebomb three times before I took my target out," he replied, grinning as if he hadn't been in a dozen near death experiences within the last week. The vast array of scars that Cammie had forced him to show her earlier proved the real danger of being in the field. "But anyways, I wouldn't recommend going to Kabul, Cams- you'd get burnt like tomato."

She rolled her eyes, scoffing. "You're crazy. A possibility of me going of to Kabul on a mission, and the one thing that concerns you is my _skin_? What about my wellbeing? Or maybe whether or not I might get _blown up_?" she huffed. "I thought you cared about me, Nicholas. This really hurts. I don't think we can be friends anymore." Cammie crossed her arms, turning pointedly away from him in mock anger.

He reached across the island to shove her playfully. "Cut it out, Cams. You're a terrible actress." She responded by sticking her tongue out at him. "You're no fun."

Nick laughed, leaning his arms onto the counter. "Okay, my turn now," he said, taking a sip of coffee from his mug. "Have you talked to Zach lately?"

Immediately, Cammie's soft smile disappeared. "Stop it, Nicholas. I don't want to talk about him."

"That is precisely why you must, Cam. You can't go on ignoring him forever."

"And you can't go on telling me what to do," she replied harshly.

His eyes narrowed. "Look, Cam- I care about you and you doing this to yourself is not helping. Your room is an absolute mess- well, more so than usual- and you don't eat and you don't drink and you don't laugh or smile and you don't talk to anyone because you don't even have the energy or heart to do anything but mope around and bitch about Zachary-_fucking_-Goode. I know you're hurting that him and Macey are together, but Cam," Nick took a breath, his face slightly red from emotion," you've got to-"

She laughed wryly. "I don't 'got to' do anything, Nicholas. Zach's engaged, I'm moping- what's new? So what if I'm crying my eyes out every fucking day? So what if I fall asleep with tears down my face because I know he lied and there will never be an _us_?" She looked at Nick across the counter, a sad smile pulled across her face.

Her lips moved ever so slightly as she spoke, her eyes glazed over. "So what if I'm absolutely in love with him?"

:::

Nicholas Hale was always one of the more perceptive people in life. He could see the things that were underneath- the secrets, the scandals, the embarrassing habits- all of it. He prided himself on being able to tell what people were people were thinking, what they were feelings. But it was different with Cammie.

Maybe that's what had drawn him to her initially- the sense of not knowing. She was hard to figure out when he'd first met her, and she still was. It was different, now that he didn't think of her in _that way_, but it still confused him all the same. He knew she was affected by the whole Zach-Macey fiasco, but he couldn't understand how she was dealing with it. It was normal for her to ignore Zach-naturally- but she'd completely abandoned Macey as well. (Well, to be fair, Macey was off in Barbados so there wasn't much Cammie could do to contact her.)

He watched her small figure as she slept on the couch, her legs dangling over the edge and her head in his lap. He could see the bags forming under her eyes- she'd been sleeping so little. Her formerly perfect figure was skinny and frail- she hadn't been eating much lately, despite Grant's adamant requests. Cammie was always a little more independent.

She began to shift in her sleep, mumbling incoherently. At one point, she'd lifted her head and slammed it down so hard (in her unconscious state, mind you) on his knee that he thought he'd broken a bone.

Ten minutes later, she woke up, shaking her head groggily. "Ungh- what time is it?"

"Ten."

"Morning?"

"Night."

She groaned. "Fuck. I was supposed to call Joe."

"When?"

She groaned again, sitting up. "Wednesday night. Is today Wednesday?"

Nick laughed softly. "Cam, Wednesday was two days ago."

She scrunched her eyes in confusion. "Are you sure?"

"I'm quite sure."

"_Fuck_. He's going to kill me."

She rolled off the sofa, crashing into the carpeted floor below with a _thump_. Nick watched amusedly as she searched the floor for her phone, cursing as she looked all around, only to find that it had been right next to the sofa on the ottoman. Nick grinned at her- she flipped him off, before walking into another room to talk to Joe Solomon, her godfather. (Though Nick expected the call to be more of a Joe-yelling and Cammie-listening before Cammie plays the little innocent girl card and Joe forgives her kind of conversation. That's how most of their phone calls usually went.)

He walked back into the lounge a good half hour later, sipping on a hot cup of earl grey, and found her sitting on the couch, pretending to leaf through a magazine. Per usual, she looked slightly miffed. She had a habit of getting a little angry during phone calls, especially with Joe. He sat down on the couch, allowing her to move before she slouched back onto the seat, landing hard on his knee. Again.

"Cam, must you destroy my knee?"

She snorted. "Like I care."

He frowned. "Fine," he said, standing up, allowing her head to fall unceremoniously to the cushion, and she glared at him. "Anyways, when you were busy chatting with Joseph Solomon, I went to talk to Zach."

She stood to her feet immediately, giving him a hard look. "You'd better choose your next words very carefully, Hale."

He smirked. "Fat chance, blondie. He's outside," Nick tilted his head in the direction of the closed glass doors that led to the balcony. True to his word, Zachary Goode stood behind the doors, leaning casually on the railing, watching her. Smirking, as usual.

_Fuck you and your damned smirk, Zachary Goode. _

She glanced at Zach for a second, before punching Nick square in the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You know what that was for," she retorted. "Now let me out of here. I'm not talking to him."

Cammie moved to go past Nick, but he shifted, blocking her path. "Let me go, Nicholas," she spat out through gritted teeth. "I don't want to talk to him."

A low laugh rang through the room. "Well that's funny, because _I_ want to talk to you."

:::

Zachary Goode prided himself on making dramatic entrances. This was not one of them.

He had opened the door softly, keeping his eyes on the small blonde in the middle of the room. She was still arguing with Nick, presumably about him, until she turned around, her cold eyes glaring daggers into his chest.

"Fuck off, Zachary."

He smirked. "Nice to see you too, Gallagher Girl." Bad move number one.

She tilted her head in confusion, then her face contorted in anger. "_Don't call me that_," she hissed. "You lost the right to call me that a long time ago."

Nick took this as a sign to leave, slipping out the door quietly, not before giving a Zach a small smile of encouragement.

Zach walked cautiously towards her while she steeled her resolve. She slowly took him in- his broad shoulders, the slight bulge of muscle through his shirtsleeves, the faint outline of abs through his cotton shirt, jeans which fit perfectly around his legs- just like everything else about him. He always looked perfect. It wasn't fair. She hated him for it.

She refused to look at his face, knowing that she'd fall right away if she did. Every wall she'd built would crumble. She hated that about him- no matter how hard she tried, she would always love him.

_Life is such a shithole, _she thought. _It's so unfair. _

He was in front of her now. She had an extreme urge to say something snarky, something cold and rude- it was small, but she wanted to hurt him just as much as he had hurt her.

But she could smell him now (however creepy that may sound, but she could). Like pine and spearmint, just like he always did. And he smelled good. Like Zach.

Normally, that would have an effect on her, but she was angry as hell. So, as every self-righteous woman would do when her unofficial ex is standing in front of her, she punched him.

Hard.

"Ow!" Zach yelled in surprise, staggering backwards. Though she'd been out of practice for the past two weeks, Cammie landed a pretty good punch to the center of Zach's face. "What the hell was that for?"

She scoffed. "Like you don't know."

He stood straight, wiping his nose, a small trickle of blood streaming down the side of his left nostril. "No, I honestly don't, Cam. I really don't."

She turned towards the window, looking over the school garden in the background. She laughed coldly. "I figured as much. Guys like you really don't care- they never do. They never know what's wrong or what's right. They only care about what happens to them, what affects only them. Does that make you feel better about yourself? That you lied? That you never really cared about-"

He interrupted her, moving closer to her. "Don't you _dare _say that I never cared. I always care about you, Cam- I still do. And what I don't understand is-"

"I don't care what you do and don't understand Zach. It's none of my business nor is it any of my concern," she breathed out a small laugh. "God, Zach- you had me fooled. Really, you did. Had me thinking that everything was right in this world, that Earth wasn't some fucked up place where love and dreams didn't exist, and that _for once_, I did something right in my life. That I had something worth living for- that there was someone who loved me and really truly cared and would always be there-"

His fist slammed loudly on the table beside them. "I did love you!"

She whirled around, glaring at him. He could see the tears welling in her eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to wipe them away. He reached towards her face- but she immediately recoiled, shaking her head. A few teardrops fell softly to the carpet.

"You had a really odd way of showing it, Zachary," she said, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"You think I had a choice? I couldn't-"

"You always have a choice!" she yelled.

Zach's eyes narrowed. "Not that time!"

She shook her head sadly. "You always have a choice, Zach," she said softly, her head tilting up to look at him. His green eyes were just as she'd remembered them. Blazing like luminous green fire. There was a sense of hopelessness and sorrow hidden deep within them, but she ignored them.

"You always have a choice." She rose up to leave, turning back towards him at the last moment. "But that choice wasn't me."

:::

**A/N: It's a little longer than usual, but that's to make up for the fact that I haven't updated in four whole months, which is atrocious. I apologize- but writer's block is real. You have no idea how many time I've rewritten this chapter, and it probably needs some serious editing. **

**Anyways, I hope you guys are still following this story and still actually want me to continue. It's been a while, I know.**

**I hope I'll update more often now, but exams are coming up, so no promises. **

**Zammie will come soon, but there's a lot of shit that these two have gone through with each other, so that'll have to get all sorted first. **

**Please review!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


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